I Crumble and You Come Running
by CaskettShipper4Ever
Summary: Starts of in Kill Shot episode where she is in her apartment and shes drunk. Altered the episode a bit. I'm really bad at summarizing so please just read the story.
1. Chapter 1

Hi there, so this is my first ever fanfiction. I read a lot of it but am a complete virgin when i comes to writing it. When i came up with this story it was just going to be an angsty one shot and then it took on a life of its own. If people like it i may do a multi-chapter thingy. So...here's hoping you like it...*fingers crossed*

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><p><em>Kate's POV<em>

I sat on my couch drowning myself in alcohol. A small voice in the back of my mind kept reminding me of Dad and all the nights I had found him passed out on the bathroom floor while empty bottles were scattered around the living room. I chose to ignore the voice and downed my drink. I felt the strong burn of the alcohol as it went down my throat. My mind started to roam as I started thinking about the case and the sniper. My train of thought eventually ended at my own shooting_. _The burn of the bullet going through me as I was tackled to the ground by Castle. Castle. He told me he loved me. How could he love me? I'm damaged goods. All my relationships crash and burn. He is my best friend and I…I love him more than I have loved any other man. Forget Will, or Demming, or hell even Josh could never hold a candle to Rick. But I cant think about him right now. He is the reason I am sitting here drowning myself in liquor, something I had sworn to my self I would never do after seeing dad after Mom died. How could he go to "Iron Gates" and tell on me like I was a child in need of protection. He spoke to Esposito and had the nerve to say that I shouldn't be on this case. At the same time I knew it wasn't his fault. He only did this because he saw the pain I was in no matter how hard i tried to mask it. I had seen right through my hard mask. Suddenly I heard shots coming from outside. Oh my god, they're coming back for me_. _I frantically closed the blinds and in the process managed to drop my glass. The glass shattered and when I crawled on the ground to get my gun I felt the pieces cutting my skin. I heard footsteps near my door. I crawled to the wall next the door waiting for them to break it down.

_Rick's POV_

Here I was pacing in front of Kate's door. She's never going to forgive me. I overstepped. Again. This was my last chance and I blew it. God if I loose her I don't think I can ever move on. I jumped when I heard a car backfire but quickly resumed my pacing. "I have to tell her," I whispered to nobody in particular. Suddenly I heard a crash in Kate's apartment. I hope she's alright_._ I slowly reached out my hand to knock.

_Kates POV_

I laid there for a second wondering why the sniper hadn't broken down the door yet when I heard the knock. I slowly got up while reality came flooding back to me. I put my gun away and walked to the door slowly opening it. "What the hell are you doing here Castle?" I asked him coldly instantly regretting how hard I was being on him. I saw the hurt in his eyes that he tried to desperately to mask, he quietly replied, "I came to apologize." I stood there for a moment stunned before stepping aside and saying, "Come in." He walked past me and carefully took in my apartment. It was when I mirrored his actions that I realized how horrible everthing must look from his point of view. He looked at me and noticed my hand. He gently took it in his. "When did this happen?" he whispered. I looked away and quietly replied, "I was drinking and the glass fell and I accidently cut myself." He looked me in the eyes. God those blue eyes made me weak in the knees.

_Rick's POV_

I knew she was lying but I decided to give it to her anyways. "Lets go get you cleaned up," I replied while leading her to her bathroom. "Do you have any gauze?" I inquired while running her hand under the lukewarm water. She nodded and said, "In the medicine cabinet." I opened the cabinet, which was under the sink. "What really happened Kate?" I tried one more time while wrapping her wrist, hoping the use of her first name would snap her out of it. I finished and looked up at her. The look in her eyes made me want to cry. I took her in, her blood shot eyes, her hair a mess of curls, and the alcohol in her breath. I led her to the couch and sat her down. I was still waiting for her answer and decided to give her some time to collect herself while I went about cleaning up the glass on the floor.

_Kate's POV_

I sat their watching him clean up my mess. I was at a lose of words. The treat him so horribly but he still treats me with the up most kindness. He treated me like I was made of glass, like he was afraid I would break. He treated me like i was so delicate when all I showed him was the hard nosed Detective. He finally came back and sat down next to me. Not so much as to invade my space but just enough in the effort to make me feel better. I looked into those blue eyes and a shattered once again. I felt his arms wrap around me almost immediately while I clung to his shirt. He lifted my knees and positioned me on his lap. He cradled me like he would a child. All the while a sobbed into his shirt. All I could think about was how broken I was. "I am damaged goods and I don't deserve him," seemed to be the alternating mantra in my head. I cried until I felt like I had no tears left. But I still couldn't bring myself to let go of Castle. I breathed in his scent. A mix of his cologne, leather, and just him. He seemed to be the light at the end of my tunnel. He was what I needed. He was my anchor. I almost gasped at the realization. I love him. I love not the author but the man, Richard Alexander Rodgers. The man who played lazer tag with his daughter in the middle of his apartment and worried about her when hse didn't get into the college of her choice. The man who always brought me coffee without fail. The man who was never outside my walls but next to me on the inside. I lift my head up to meet his eyes and said, "Oh my god, I love you."

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><p>PLEEEEASE review. Anything to make my writing better.<p> 


	2. Chapter 2

_Heeeeey, thanks so much to **CastlellumKeep**, **FanfictionAddict**, **Sensaiman**, **LittleLizzieZentara**, and** merry-merry-me**.Thank your reviews and thanks for all the advice. **Merry-merry-me** is this format better? And now...on with the show!_

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><p><strong>Chapter 2<strong>

_Castle's POV_

For a second it felt like the whole world had stopped. A million things ran through my head. Did she really say it? Did I imagine it? Is she only saying this because I comforted her? And most importantly; I LOVE YOU TOO! But I waited in case there was a change she was going to take it back.

_Kate's POV_

"Rick? Are you okay?" I asked. Hoping the use of his first name would snap him out of it. Wow, if this was what it took to shut him up I would have said it a long time ago. No, I shouldn't say that if I had said it earlier I wouldn't have truly meant it.

"Huh? Oh yeah. I mean Kate…Please don't tell me I imagined that," was his stuttering reply.

I smiled, but could still feel the doubt in the back of my mind. I ducked my head in order to avoid his eyes.

Staring at his shirt while playing with the top button I heard myself say, "I heard you. At the funeral, right after I was shot. I wanted to say I love you back, but I was scared that when you said it. That it was a heat of the moment thing. Over the next couple months I keep seeing you prove me wrong. So I have to know. Did you really mean it?" I could feel myself babbling and my brain kept screaming for me to shut up but for some reason my mouth refused to listen.

Before I could say another word Castle put his hand under my chin and gently made me lift my head so that I could look into his eyes. He searched my eyes for the true emotion behind my word and I felt my defenses break. I left my eyes unguarded. Hoping he could see the love that shined through them.

He took a deep breath and began speaking, "Kate, I love you too." I smiled and was about to speak when he raised a hand, so I let him continue. He smiled and resumed, "Kate, I love you so much that sometime it hurts. I never want to see anything bad happen to you. Ever. You are one of the three most important things in my life. The other two are my mother and Alexis. Do you want to know something? It stopped being about the books awhile ago. I follow you around because I know it's the only way I can spend time with you. Kate, when I say Always I mean it with all my heart. And Kate I will always love you."

I don't really know hen I had started crying and I probably wouldn't have realized it until Castle wiped the tears from my face and cradled my face with his hand. I smiled at how gentle he was being with me. "So your no mad a me for not telling you," I asked.

"Of course not Kate. I know how hard it was for you emotionally after the shooting. Sure I was mad when you left me for 3 months. But I was never mad at you for never saying I love you back. I knew you would need time," he easily replied.

I let out the breath I had been subconsciously holding. I smiled and shifted so that I was straddling him. I kept my arms loose around his neck and leaned in for a kiss.

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><p><em>Love it? Hate it? Let me know!<em>


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